Investigating the Effect of Knowledge of Environmental Implications on Generation Z Vehicle Choice in Last Mile Delivery Service

Consumer knowledge has a significant impact on consumer behavior and choice, where specific types of knowledge influences consumer shopping and purchasing decisions. As concerns about the environment and businesses operations’ effect on the environment grows, there has been various calls for facilitating increased consumer awareness on environmental issues; with the intent of this knowledge serving to influence consumer decision making in a manner that is viewed as favorable for environmental sustainability. With the substantial growth of ecommerce, one of the decisions that consumers more frequently make is that of delivery service choice as they make online purchase transactions. Various aspects of delivery to consumer homes, also referred to as last mile delivery, offer the opportunity to reduce carbon footprint. These aspects include types of packaging, whether orders are consolidated or not when going to the same location, or the type of vehicle used to make the delivery. With a range of vehicles available from conventional fuel vehicles to advanced full-electric vehicles, company and consumer preference of delivery vehicle type can have effects on the environment. In this paper, the objective is to determine whether making knowledge about the environment available as consumers make delivery service vehicle decisions can influence the delivery vehicle preference of consumers. More specifically, with a focus on consumers that belong to Generation Z, an experiment is conducted to determine if getting information on tree degradation and air pollution influences delivery vehicle preferences. Additionally, the research investigates if a delivery fee being charged or not, and the type of item being ordered also influences delivery vehicle preference. Results indicate that knowledge of the environment does affect vehicle choice. Further, findings showed that the type of product had a significant effect on vehicle preference; and that the effect of delivery fee was marginally significant. These findings bear significant implications for retailers, marketers, and supply chain managers as they design supply chains and delivery systems with sustainability being a considered factor

Investigating the Effect of Knowledge of Environmental Implications on Generation Z Vehicle Choice in Last Mile Delivery Service

Consumer knowledge has a significant impact on consumer behavior and choice, where specific types of knowledge influences consumer shopping and purchasing decisions. As concerns about the environment and businesses operations’ effect on the environment grows, there has been various calls for facilitating increased consumer awareness on environmental issues; with the intent of this knowledge serving to influence consumer decision making in a manner that is viewed as favorable for environmental sustainability. With the substantial growth of ecommerce, one of the decisions that consumers more frequently make is that of delivery service choice as they make online purchase transactions. Various aspects of delivery to consumer homes, also referred to as last mile delivery, offer the opportunity to reduce carbon footprint. These aspects include types of packaging, whether orders are consolidated or not when going to the same location, or the type of vehicle used to make the delivery. With a range of vehicles available from conventional fuel vehicles to advanced full-electric vehicles, company and consumer preference of delivery vehicle type can have effects on the environment. In this paper, the objective is to determine whether making knowledge about the environment available as consumers make delivery service vehicle decisions can influence the delivery vehicle preference of consumers. More specifically, with a focus on consumers that belong to Generation Z, an experiment is conducted to determine if getting information on tree degradation and air pollution influences delivery vehicle preferences. Additionally, the research investigates if a delivery fee being charged or not, and the type of item being ordered also influences delivery vehicle preference. Results indicate that knowledge of the environment does affect vehicle choice. Further, findings showed that the type of product had a significant effect on vehicle preference; and that the effect of delivery fee was marginally significant. These findings bear significant implications for retailers, marketers, and supply chain managers as they design supply chains and delivery systems with sustainability being a considered factor

Impact of Selected Infrared Wavelengths on Inactivation of Microbes on Rough Rice

Formation of harmful microbes and their associated mycotoxins on rough rice during storage presents negative socioeconomic impacts to producers and consumers. The objective for this study was to investigate the impact of treating rough rice with selected infrared (IR) wavelengths at different IR intensities and heating durations, followed by a tempering step for further inactivation of microbes (mold and bacteria) on the grain. Freshly-harvested long-grain, hybrid, rough rice (XL 745) with initial moisture content (IMC) of 18.4% wet basis (w.b.) was used. Two-hundred grams (200 g) samples of rice were treated at different IR wavelengths (λ), 3.2, 4.5, and 5.8 μm for 10, 20 and 30 seconds (s); at product-to-emitter gaps of 110, 275, and 440 mm. This was then followed by tempering the grain; putting samples in air-tight jars and holding at a constant temperature of 60 oC for 4 hours (h). Inoculated Petrifilm plates for mold and bacterial analyses were incubated at 25 oC for 120 h and 35 oC for 48 h respectively. Samples treated at wavelength 3.2 μm (product-to-emitter gap 110 mm) for 30 s showed the greatest reduction in mold and bacterial load; approximately 3.11 and 1.09 log reduction in the colony forming unit of mold and bacteria, respectively. Microbial analysis was performed on the rice prior to tempering, then all of the rice was tempered and microbial analysis was performed again to analyze the effectiveness of a tempering step. Tempering treatment further reduced the microbial load at each IR treatment condition. Molds showed more susceptibility to the IR decontamination than bacteria. This study provides useful information on the effectiveness of IR heating and tempering on microbial inactivation on rough rice

Sistema de Gestão de Informações de Animais Domésticos

Após uma análise do funcionamento do ISV(Instituto de Serviços de Veterinário), constatamos que a instituição tinha muitas anomalias na sua gestão dos animais domésticos. Para superar essa má gestão verificou­se que era necessário a aplicação de um sistema de informação, para substituir o sistema manual que o Instituto de Serviços de Veterinário utiliza no exercício das suas atividades, isto é, ajudar o serviço a guardar todas as informações de animais domésticos na base de dados do novo sistema e, controlar todas as situações de bem­estar de animais domésticos. O projeto resultante, denominado SGIAD(Sistema de Gestão de Informações de Animais Domésticos), tem como foco principal de registar cada animal doméstico para facilitar o bom controlo na gestão de informações de animais domésticos. Durante o desenvolvimento do projeto, utilizamos a plataforma Odoo Studio Community. Como resultado obtido, o SGIAD vai proporcionar agilidade, confiabilidade no processo de apuração final dos serviços e rapidez na prestação dos serviços do ISV.After an analysis of the functioning of the ISV (Institute of Veterinary Services), we believe that the institution had many anomalies in its management of domestic animals. In order to overcome this mismanagement, it was found that it was necessary to design an information system to replace the manual system that the Veterinary Services Institute uses in the course of its activities,this is, to help the service store all domestic animal information in the database of the new system and to monitor all situations of welfare of domestic animals. The resulting project, called SGIAD (Domestic Animal Information Management System), has as main focus to register each domestic animal to facilitate good control in the management of information of domestic animals. During the development of the project, we used the Odoo Studio Community platform. As a result obtained, SGIAD will provide agility, reliability in the process of final calculation of services and speed in the provision of ISV services

The effects of infrared treatment on physicochemical characteristics of vegetable soybean

Vegetable soybean (Edamame) blanching with hot water/steam is an energy- and water- intensive process that may also result in compromised product quality. The effectiveness of infrared (IR) heating to dry and simultaneously blanch Edamame was investigated at heating intensities of 11.06, 8.43 and 6.99 kW/m2. Temperature, weight, texture, and green intensity of heated samples for various durations were determined. In general, product weight decreased during IR heating. The largest weight reduction (9.5 %) was achieved after 100 s of heating at the highest IR heating intensity. Hardness was reduced alongside treatment duration, reaching the lowest values (11172.9–10847 N) at 100 or 120 s despite heating intensity. The highest green intensity was recorded (0.33) for treatments at 100 or 120 s. The new process combined drying and blanching into one step which potentially improves processing efficiency and product quality

EFFECTS OF INITIAL MOISTURE CONTENT AND HEATING RATE ON WHEAT (OAKES) DRYING KINETIC PARAMETERS

The goal of this study was to determine the effects of initial moisture content and heating rate on the drying kinetic parameters of wheat under non-isothermal conditions. Wheat (OAKES) samples at initial moisture contents of 20.7%, 18.5%, 16.8%, and 14.8% wet basis (w.b.) were dried using a thermogravimetric analyzer. The analyzer was set at five heating rates (2, 3, 4, 5 and 10oC/min) to determine the drying kinetic parameters, i.e., activation energy, of the heated samples from room temperature of 30°C to 170oC. The experimental moisture ratio data were fitted to the four empirical models, namely Page, Newton, Logarithmic, and Henderson models. The goodness of fit criterion was used to determine the best-fitting model. Heating rate and initial moisture content affected the activation energy required for drying wheat. Increasing the heating rate expedited the drying curve. The heating rate of 10°C/min for wheat at an initial moisture content of 14.8% w.b. resulted in the greatest activation energy of 28.174 kJ/mol. The heating rate of 2°C/min for wheat at an initial moisture content of 20.7% w.b. resulted in the lowest activation energy of 14.760 kJ/mol. The Logarithmic and Henderson models were adjudged as best fit models for the entire drying curves by R2, RMSE, and X2. This study highlighted that the energy required to dry wheat from 20.7% w.b. to acceptable safe level could be minimized by reducing the heating rate

Identification and characterization of an antennae-specific aldehyde oxidase from the navel orangeworm.

Antennae-specific odorant-degrading enzymes (ODEs) are postulated to inactivate odorant molecules after they convey their signal. Different classes of insect ODEs are specific to esters, alcohols, and aldehydes--the major functional groups of female-produced, hydrophobic sex pheromones from moth species. Esterases that rapidly inactive acetate and other esters have been well-studied, but less is known about aldehyde oxidases (AOXs). Here we report cloning of an aldehyde oxidase, AtraAOX2, from the antennae of the navel orangeworm (NOW), Amyelois transitella, and the first activity characterization of a recombinant insect AOX. AtraAOX2 gene spans 3,813 bp and encodes a protein with 1,270 amino acid residues. AtraAOX2 cDNA was expressed in baculovirus-infected insect Sf21 cells as a ≈280 kDa homodimer with 140 kDa subunits. Recombinant AtraAOX2 degraded Z11Z13-16Ald and plant volatile aldehydes as substrates. However, as expected for aldehyde oxidases, recombinant AtraAOX2 did not show specificity for Z11Z13-16Ald, the main constituent of the sex pheromone, but showed high activity for plant volatile aldehydes. Our data suggest AtraAOX2 might be involved in degradation of a diversity of aldehydes including sex pheromones, plant-derived semiochemicals, and chemical cues for oviposition sites. Additionally, AtraAOX2 could protect the insect's olfactory system from xenobiotics, including pesticides that might reach the sensillar lymph surrounding the olfactory receptor neurons

Biochemical changes associated with electron beam irradiation of rice and links to kernel discoloration during storage

Background and objectives Rice kernel discoloration during storage results in significant economic losses to rice growers and processors. This study aimed to elucidate the extent of chemical changes and microbial involvement on discoloration of rice kernels during storage. To segregate and/or diminish the effects of microbes, one lot of hybrid long-grain rice (XL753) samples was irradiated with nonthermal electron beam (EB) dose of 14 kGy. The irradiated and nonirradiated control samples of rice at a moisture content (MC) of 21% on a wet basis were stored at three temperatures (20, 30, and 40 degrees C) for 8 weeks. Samples were taken every 2 weeks for microbial and chemical analyses. Findings A negative relationship was noted between discoloration and microbial load. The trend of increasing discoloration and chemical properties such as free sugars, free fatty acid, and free 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (HMF), especially at higher storage temperatures and durations, suggested that biochemical changes were major drivers of the observed rice discoloration. The higher HMF in highly discolored rice (>= 20%) explained nonenzymatic browning in the rice matrix during storage. Conclusions From this study, it was drawn that the rice kernel discoloration was not directly related to the microbial load; the discoloration was seen in EBI rice even with 99% reduction in microbial load. However, it was clarified that the rice discoloration especially in EBI rice samples was related to the observed chemical changes, which were also storage temperature dependent. Significance and novelty Milled rice discoloration during storage of rough rice is insufficiently understood. There is no information correlating changes in chemical attributes and microbial activity to discoloration of contemporary hybrid rice during storage. Therefore, the results of the current study provide important fundamental information and also suggest storage conditions required to arrest discoloration and maintain quality of contemporary milled hybrid rice

Growth and Aflatoxin B1 biosynthesis rate of model Aspergillus flavus NRRL 3357 exposed to selected infrared wavelengths

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a highly toxic substance produced mainly by Aspergillus spp., which are known to contaminate a wide variety of foods and feeds. The objective of this study was to understand the growth and AFB1 production rate of Aspergillus flavus NRRL 3357 and investigate the impact of different infrared (IR) heat intensities on the growth and aflatoxin-producing potential of A. flavus. Thirty healthy corn kernels were inoculated with 1 x 10(6) spores/mL of A. flavus spores and incubated at 25 degrees C. Then, A. flavus plate count, ergosterol, and AFB1 were measured every 24 h. In another experiment, inoculated corn incubated for 24 h was exposed to different IR heat intensities and heating durations. Afterward, the IR-exposed A. flavus were incubated for additional 3 and 6 days (4 and 7 days of incubation in total), and the ergosterol and AFB1 concentrations were measured. For non-IR exposed A. flavus, the highest AFB1 concentration (32.2 mu g/g) was observed after 6 days of incubation. Treatment at high IR heat intensities and heating duration resulted in low AFB1 and ergosterol concentrations. However, IR heat treatment at low intensities (e.g., 1.86 kW/m(2)) for 20 s resulted in high AFB1 and ergosterol concentrations (97.83 and 34.84 mu g/g, respectively). The sublethal IR heat intensity may have increased the potential of the exposed A. flavus NRRL 3357 to grow and produce AFB1. The outcome of this study will contribute to and enhance the continual efforts of mitigating AFB1 contamination of economically important grains